Survey Reveals Alarming Lack of Generational Workplace Interaction
1. 0 0TweetTweet 0
Tweet
0ShareShare
Login Register Contact
Keywords Search
recent_searches
anna/harassment/leadershipdevelopmentprogram/hp compensation design/six sigma
TOPICS
Compensation
Compensation Design
Job Design and Analysis
Reward and Incentive Programs
Wages and Hours
Benefits
Benefit Design and Communication
Employee Assistance Programs
Health and Wellness
Health Care Benefits
Retirement Planning
HR Administration
HR Services and Administration
HR and Workforce Trends
Outsourcing
Policies and Procedures
Legal
Disabilities
Discrimination and EEOC Compliance
Labor Relations
Safety and Workplace Violence
Recruitment
Employee Screening
Candidate Sourcing
Interviewing
Online Recruiting
Staffing Management
Contingent Staffing
Relocation Management
Scheduling
Telecommuting
Termination
Workforce Planning
Technology
Human Resources Management
2. Performance Management
Social Media
Talent Management Systems
Talent Management
Employee Engagement
Motivating Employees
Performance Appraisals
Retention
Strategic Planning
Succession Planning
Workplace Culture
Corporate Culture
Diversity
Ethics
Work and Life Balance
Training
Behavioral Training
E-Learning
Employee Career Development
Management Skills and Development
Organizational Development
TOOLS
Roadmaps
The Hot List
Data Bank
Dear Workforce
Newsstand
White Papers & Supplements
Videos
Special Reports
HR Jobs
Vendor Directory
EVENTS
Upcoming Events
Workforce Focus
Workforce Live
Webinars
Spotlight Webinars
Online Events
Events Blog
Speakers Bureau
About
COMMUNITY
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Google Plus
BLOGS
Whatever Works
Working Well
The Practical Employer
3. The Ethical Workplace
Editor's Notebook
Awards
Newsletters
Magazine
Videos
Top Stories
Home » Survey Reveals Alarming Lack of Generational Workplace Interaction
Survey Reveals Alarming Lack of Generational
Workplace Interaction
Mark Larson
July 30, 2008
0 Comments
Related Topics: Workforce Planning, Featured Article, Recruitment
Reprints Share:
TweetTweet 0
Tweet 0ShareShare 0 0
There won’t be a skilled-worker shortage as baby boomers retire, a recent study says, but there will be a lack of
talent if there isn’t more collaboration between workforce generations than currently exists.
Atlanta-based Randstad USA’s annual 2008 World of Work survey found that the four generations now in the
U.S. workforce—Generation X, Generation Y, baby boomers and "matures" (those born 1900 to 1945)—rarely
interact with one another.
That lack of communication, the study found, is keeping key institutional job knowledge held by the boomer
generation from filtering down to younger workers.
The isolation among workforce generations is credited to a lack of recognition of the others’ skills or work
ethic. According to the Census Bureau, the Gen Y’ers in today’s workforce—born 1980 to 1988—total 79.8
million, which outnumber the baby boomers, or those who were born 1946 to 1964. Those boomers, which total
78.5 million people, are considered the keepers of the institutional job knowledge in companies across the
nation.
Randstad conducted the U.S. survey in December and January among 3,494 adults, 1,295 of whom were
employers and 2,199 were employees. Employees came from businesses with at least five staffers. Employers
sampled were involved in human resources strategies at their companies for at least six months.
Given this scenario, businesses are faced with cultivating more interaction among generations in their
workforce, says Eric Buntin, managing director of marketing and operations for Randstad.
Mentorship Is Needed
Employee Engagement
Stuck in the Middle
September 21, 2015
Outsourcing
Analyzing the Analysts
September 24, 2015
Healt
‘Cad
Septe
4. "The starting point is for employers to acknowledge and communicate to employees that there is a lack of
interaction in the workforce," he says.
Once the employer puts the issue out in the open, says Buntin, the next move is to shuffle its employee deck to
blend the generations.
"They need to find ways to create functional work teams to bring employees together," he says.
That doesn’t mean mentoring of younger workers by older workers, says Buntin, but rather collaboration on
jobs that makes older and younger workers feel as if they’re both contributing to business goals on new
products or handling service issues.
Such collaborative projects, the study suggests, give value to employees’ efforts and cultivate respect and trust
between worker generations.
The study found that although boomers have a lot of knowledge and experience to share with Gen Y workers,
51 percent of them and 66 percent of matures reported little or no interaction with their Gen Y colleagues. And
the three younger generations reported little or no interaction with matures on the job.
Other key findings include:
Gen Y’s reputation as an overly demanding workplace generation no longer applies; since 2006, they
have become more realistic about job expectations.
Gen Y has the lowest expectations among the four generations for "soft" workplace benefits of satisfying
work, pleasant work environment, liking the people they work with, challenging work and flexible hours.
Gen Y describes co-workers of their own generation as positive socially but not necessarily competent.
With strong social skills, Gen X has the most potential to bridge the knowledge gap between boomers and
Gen Y’ers.
Stereotype barriers
"Stereotyping is real," Buntin says. "If Gen X’ers think their baby boomer colleagues are less flexible—even
if they’re not—they believe it."
And although a company may be aware of the need to quell stereotyping and its associated downsides, it’s
easier said than done, Buntin says.
"The current pressure for productivity—the pressure for people to do more with less creates that barrier," he
says. "Employers need to be aware that people just don’t have time to interact."
Karol Rose, chief marketing officer for Flexpaths, an online provider of flexible work programs, says the key to
getting generations to share knowledge is to focus on things they have in common.
"You need to give them common ground so they can begin to understand each other," she says, citing job
sharing as one example. "The challenge is managing people. The way we transfer knowledge is very different
than it was 20 years ago. "
But infusing cultural changes for more worker collaboration isn’t done overnight in most companies, Rose says.
"Organizations are like a big ship," she says. "They don’t turn easily. But this is a time when they have to
become more nimble and proactive, not reactive."
5. Fostering an attitude of learning from others in a company is a big step, Rose says, in that it can break down
barriers to interaction.
She says managers these days have to know how to attract and retain talent, and a key to that is creating a
customized work environment for the workers that enables them to perform at optimum levels.
"People are trying to manage their careers and their lives," Rose says. "They can’t do it without flexibility. It’s
challenging for organizations, managers and for employees. They don’t understand what’s possible."
Randstad’s Buntin figures things will get worse before they get better.
"The knowledge gap will come, and structurally it will create problems," he says. "It’s that type of pressure that
will force changes, just like globalization forced up productivity."
Related Articles
Florida Hospitals Find Wealth of Talent Among People Over 50
Stamping Out Workplace Bullies
Tech Worker Job Satisfaction Low
Benefits of Workplace Ranking Programs Extend Beyond Recruiting
Survey Reveals Slight Climb in Full-Time Hiring
Related Products
1 Year Subscription- International- Print
Related Events
The Current State of Virtual Workplaces and Their Effect on
Performance
2015 Workforce Live - Dallas
Recent Articles by Mark Larson
A Tipping Point for Starbucks
When It Comes to Marketing and PR, the Web Rules
6. Hr Jobs
Part Time Teachers
Lake Worth, FL - Learn IT Family of Companies
Restaurant Recruiter - Gecko Hospitality
Seattle, WA - Gecko Hospitality
Cardio Vascular Imaging System...
Petersburg, VA - HCA Healthcare
Executive Recruiter
Manchester, CT - Bob's Discount Furniture
Healthcare Recruiter- Entry Level Sales...
Overland Park, KS - Maxim Administrative
Human resources jobs
See All Jobs
View All Job Listings
Job Title or Company Location Search
Latest Workforce Videos
7/14 The Wacky World of Work: Cultivating Farm Aid Wi…
7. Workforce Live!
2/58 Workforce Live Speaker ProEle: Glassdoor's Maria…
Register today for full access
Current subscriber? Activate your account
Stay Connected
Join our community for unlimited access to the latest tips, news and information in the HR world.
Workforce Week
Free weekly update on the trends in HR and new tools added to Workforce.com. Delivered each Tuesday.
Dear Workforce
8. See what HR professionals are asking, and what Workforce Management experts are saying. Delivered
the 1st/3rd Thursday of each month.
Workforce Benefits
Stay current on all aspects of employee benefits, from health care to retirement issues. Delivered on
Wednesdays.
Workforce Technology
Covering the latest technology trends, tools and applications that are shaping the workforce in the 21st
century. Delivered the 2nd Wednesday of each month.
HR News Brief
A mobile-native digest of HR news and analysis from around the web that provides readers with an easy-
to-review summary of news related to HR management.
Email Address Sign Up
Sponsored Content
10. Hey #Dallas! #WFLive15 is coming to town Oct 27. Register today! goo.gl/0BMFT8
Workforcenews
@workforcenews
Show Summary
.@Korn_Ferry to buy @HayGroup in $452M deal. @HayGroup CEO Stephen Kaye to stay on.
Story by @WorkforceJames ow.ly/SCKFA
Workforcenews
@workforcenews
Show Summary
Workforcenews
@workforcenews
8h
11h
12h
Tweets FollowFollow
Tweet to @workforcenews
Blackjack + business= fun. Watch @WorkforceJames interview with CEO #YuchunLee and
see who won. twitter.com/WorkforceJames…
Retweeted by James Tehrani
Allego, Inc.
@allegosoftware
Expand
Caterpillar — one of Illinois' biggest employers — is axing 10,000 jobs, it says
fw.to/C5apBMD
James Tehrani
@WorkforceJames
Show Summary
Shades of Grey: There is no one way to perceive a person’s #race or #gender. #diversity
alifenotgrey.com/2015/09/24/sha… pic.twitter.com/WqjLCanEBb
Kellye Whitney
@kellyewhit
12h
5h
6h
Workforce Connections
Tweets from a list by Workforcenews
Twitter accounts from our authors, editors, blogs and partners.
Follow on Facebook
Follow on Twitter
Follow on LinkedIn
Follow on Google
Subscribe to RSS